Mentor MemoryGel^® and Saline
Breast Implant Information

Mentor has been making breast implants for more than 30 years. We are recognized as the international leader in the category. Our rich history is filled with industry firsts, innovative product designs, and ground-breaing research. While other breast implant manufacturers have come and gone, Mentor has consistently produced high-quality breast implants under unwavering, strict standards of design and testing. Because of this, we have achieved a tremendous level of respect in the medical community.

Introducing MemoryGel^® Breast Implants

Mentor MemoryGel^® breast implants are now FDA approved for breast augmentation in the United States!

These MemoryGel^® implants you've been hearing about have actually been trusted and in use for almost 20 years. In fact, a million women all over the world have them. MemoryGel^® implants feel more like natural breast tissue. After almost two decades of research with surgeons and patients, MemoryGel^® breast implants, exclusively from Mentor, are available now available in the U.S.

As illustrated by this photo of a MemoryGel^® breast implant cut in half, MemoryGel^® implants feature a cohesive, gelatin-like substance that acts as a solid rather than a liquid. It holds together uniformly while still retaining the natural give of breast tissue.

MemoryGel^® breast implants are available in a variety of profiles (which refers to the amount of forward projection off the chest wall, in relation to the base width of the implant), This allows your doctor to achieve a better match between desired breast projection and your individual body frame. Ask your plastic surgeon for greater detail on selecting the right breast implant for you.

Learn more about MemoryGel^® breast implants here...

 

Saline Breast Implants

Our saline breast implants are filled with a saltwater solution similar to the fluid that makes up most of the human body. Each Mentor saline breast implant has a self-sealing valve used to fill the device during surgery. We offer a variety of textures, sizes, and shapes to provide you and your plastic surgeon the greatest possible flexibility toward achieving breast enlargement goals.

The saline breast implant is inflated with a saline (salt water) solution through a valve. There are two types/families of Mentor implants filled with saline — one referred to as saline filled and the other referred to as Spectrum^® adjustable breast implants. The saline filled family of round breast implants and the Contour Profile^® shaped breast implant family both have a self-sealing valve located on the front (anterior) of the implant that is used for filling the device.

Finding a Plastic Surgeon

At Mentor, we believe that the best way to ensure you get exactly the results you desire from breast enlargement surgery is to talk to your plastic surgeon about your specific expectations of your breast enlargement. Based on your body type and individual needs, he or she will help you select a breast implant style that is most suitable for you. To help you understand the options, we have provided a quick overview of our MemoryGel^® and saline breast implants , and the variations within each style that make it unique.

Understanding the styles of breast implants helps a great deal when you are discussing breast augmentation with your plastic surgeon. Are you looking for a doctor? MentorCorp.com is designed to assist you in finding a doctor who specializes in breast augmentation – click here to search for plastic surgeons in your city.

Please see our helpful plastic surgery consultation sheet to print out and take with you into your doctor's office.

Breast Implant Styles

If you decide to have breast augmentation, you also will need to decide what kind of breast implant will help you and your plastic surgeon achieve the result you want. Both MemoryGel^® and saline breast implants are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Prior to your breast enlargement surgery, you and your doctor will discuss the implant size, shape, and surface that are most appropriate for you.

Breast Implant Defined

A breast implant is a sac (implant shell) of silicone, a rubber-like substance filled with silicone gel or saline, which is surgically implanted under your chest tissue.

Mentor offers breast implants in a variety of sizes and shapes to accommodate various body types. Our range of MemoryGel^® breast implants and round saline breast implants include High Profile, Moderate Plus Profile, and Moderate Profile – each offering a different level of projection (profile) for an individual woman's preference and body type. In fact, Mentor was the first to offer the High Profile Breast Implant – offering greater projection, particularly designed for women with a narrower chest wall.

Breast Implant Size

For many women, deciding what breast size they want can be the most difficult part about choosing breast augmentation. Generally, the larger you want your cup size to be, the larger the breast implant your surgeon will consider using. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your existing breast tissue to determine if you have enough tissue to accommodate the desired size of breast implant.

If you desire a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, the implant's edges may be visible through your skin after your operation or the implant may be more easily felt. By choosing a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, you may increase the risk of having surgical complications. Also, breast implants that are excessive in size may increase the effects of gravity on your body, which may cause your breasts to prematurely droop or sag.

Smooth & Textured Breast Implant Surfaces

Breast implant shells have a smooth or textured surface. As a natural reaction to any device placed in the body, scar tissue will form around the breast implant surface, creating a capsule. In some women, the capsule can tighten and squeeze the implant. This occurrence is called capsular contracture.

Textured breast implants were designed to reduce the chance of capsular contracture. Some information in the literature on small numbers of patients suggests that surface texturing reduces the chance of severe capsular contracture, but clinical information from studies of a large number of women with Mentor implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured implants compared to smooth-surfaced implants.